


Prompt: Date Night

by orphan_account



Series: One or the Other [14]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst Lite, Fluff, M/M, more Sophie! :D, there's also sex, this is mostly fluff really
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 16:47:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12324954
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: @kamekiryu asked: Hi !!! I don’t know if your still taking prompts but I was wondering how about a sweet date night or a steamy date night for hardworking loving parents. Neil and Andrew offer to babysit Sophie while Matt and Aaron have an entire night for themselves.So this is that! :D





	Prompt: Date Night

**Author's Note:**

> What it says on the tin, y'all. Mostly date night + sex + little bits of angst bc, c'mon, it's *me*. (You know better by now than to expect pure fluff from me.) I think I did pretty okay with my jokes and shit in this. I tried to be funny. I'm probably not very funny. 
> 
> Sorry, @kamekiryu, that this took so long! Busy, busy weekend... I hope you like it, though! 
> 
> As always, lemme know if I need more explicit tags.

Matt turns off the truck once they pull into the stadium. Sophie has already unbuckled her seat and is bouncing up and down at the back door, ready to get out. Aaron just shakes his head at her as he climbs out of the truck and heads to the back door to open it for her. He catches her in his arms when she jumps down. She giggles.

“Okay, Soph,” Matt says as he grabs her gear bag and her overnight bag from the back of the truck, “what did we talk about?”

“Gotta stay with Andwew and Neil,” she says as Aaron sets her on her feet. “Also gotta be cawful and mind mannews.” 

“That's right,” Aaron says. He takes her hand and they walk into the stadium together through the back, Matt unlocking the door and entering the codes to get in. “Some other people are going to be here too. So you might not get to play the whole time. I packed your iPad in your bag for you so you can play on that.”

“‘Kay,” Sophie says with a nod. They head down a long hall and get to the lounge where Andrew and Neil are waiting. Sophie tears her hand away from Aaron’s and runs to tackle Andrew’s leg in a hug. “Andwew!” He pats her back for a moment, then Sophie throws herself at Neil’s leg as she shouts his name as well. 

“Jesus she's cute,” Rena says from her spot on the couch. “Hi, Sophie.” She waves and smiles. Sophie tucks herself behind Andrew, but she waves back. “Aw, don't be shy.”

“Give her some time to warm up to you again,” Matt says with a laugh. “She'll be tackling you too.” Rena grins over at him. Matt crouches and Sophie launches herself into his arms. He hugs her tightly. “Be good, and listen when they tell you to do something, okay?” 

“‘Kay,” Sophie says softly. She kisses his cheek. “Love you.”

“I love you too, princess.” Matt smiles at her. 

Aaron hugs her next. “We’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” She nods. “Love you.” 

“Love you.” Sophie lets go of him reluctantly and goes over to Neil this time, wrapping one arm around his leg and hanging on. 

“Her iPad is in here,” Matt says, holding up the little bookbag. “And her clothes and stuff.”

“It's not a formal practice,” Neil says with a shrug. “We've already done most of what we came to do, so we’re just going to play with Sophie for the most part. Cullen and Will are waiting for us.”

“Just remind them that she's only four?” Aaron asks. “Don't wanna come back to find my kid with a black eye.” 

Rena laughs loudly. “We’ll take good care of her, don't worry. She'll be all tired out by the time Andrew and Neil leave and then she'll go straight to sleep.” 

“Oh yeah,” Matt says. He sets the bags on the floor. “I packed her some snacks, too, in case she gets hungry. She ate dinner a little while ago, but -”

“Matt,” Neil says, cutting him off. “It's fine. Go. If we need anything, we’ll call, okay?” 

Matt rubs the back of his neck and laughs nervously. “Yeah, okay.” He looks at Sophie. “Bye, princess!”

“Bye,” she says in a small voice. Aaron waves at her and he and Matt head back out of the lounge. Matt wraps an arm around Aaron's shoulders as they go. 

Back at the truck, Matt starts it up and they head out of the parking lot towards the restaurant he'd chosen for their - now extremely rare - date night. Usually, they had to find places that were at least somewhat kid-friendly because Sophie was always with them. Neither of them ever really even gave it a second thought, usually, but this was the last weekend before the official start of the exy season when Matt would be traveling for most of the next several months thanks to regular games, Court practices, and Court games. So since it was their last weekend together for a while, essentially, Matt had asked for one night where it was just the two of them, and Aaron had - of course - agreed. 

“You called Sophie your kid,” Matt says softly. He doesn't look at Aaron as he drives through the semi-heavy traffic in the city. 

“She...kind of is?” Aaron says and shrugs. “I mean, we take care of her. We're her legal guardians and all.”

Matt is quiet for a few minutes, only the dull sound of the alternative rock radio station filtering in under the sounds of the traffic around them. Finally, he sighs and looks at Aaron when they stop at a light. “I want to adopt Sophie.”

Aaron just stares at Matt for a moment. “What?”

“I know you heard me,” Matt sighs, looking away from him so he can start driving again. “Look, I know we haven't been taking care of her on our own for that long and all, but she isn't going anywhere else, is she? So why not?”

“I…” Aaron swallows hard. He feels like a rock has settled uncomfortably in the pit of his stomach. “I think we should talk to Sophie about this first.”

“Babe, she's smart, but she isn't that smart,” Matt says. “She won't understand the difference yet. If you want to wait, that's fine, just tell me, but don't use Soph as an excuse, okay?” 

“I'm not,” Aaron says quietly. He twists his hands together. “I just… It's a lot, okay? Kate-Katelyn and Gregg haven't even been dead a whole year. I don't want to just...adopt Sophie and pretend like they weren't her parents.”

“That's not what I'm suggesting at all.” Matt glances over at him quickly. A moment later, he grabs one of Aaron’s hands and squeezes gently. “It's just that  _ you're  _ her legal guardian, not me. I hope it doesn't, but if something were to happen to her, then...Soph would probably go to her grandparents or to Kathleen. And I know that neither of us wants that. So adopting her would just...work. And besides, if we adopt her, then no one could challenge us ever again, like that one bitch of a therapist tried to do.”

Aaron grimaces. “I filed a complaint against her, by the way. But I know what you mean.” He stares out at some of the skyscrapers they pass them. He doesn't say anything as they pull up at the restaurant, walk inside together, or go to their table in the very back. He feels the familiar tingle of eyes watching them as they walk through the place, but no one tries to get up and stop them or call out to them, at least. 

They are seated and the host takes their drink orders. Aaron gets whiskey, deciding he’ll fucking need it if this is what Matt wants to talk about. Even Matt orders whiskey, though a different kind, and their host leaves them alone with their menus. This place is nice enough that they hadn't worn jeans, and Aaron even has on a blazer. Matt has on one of his stupid-bright polos he's taken a liking too lately. 

“Trying to adopt her is going to be complicated,” Aaron says at last. He wishes he had his drink already, but he knows he can't just sit there in silence. “We aren't married.”

“So we’ll get married,” Matt says with a shrug and a smile. “Babe, we've been engaged for four and a half years. You wouldn't consider it before you'd finished everything and had a job and all, but, well, you do now.” 

Aaron groans and hides his face in his arms on the table. “Your mom is going to kill us.” 

“Probably,” Matt says, entirely too cheerfully. “But this isn't about her. It's about us. And Sophie. So, and I can't believe I'm about to say this and if you tell my mom I will actually kill you, fuck what she thinks. We do this for our family.” Matt smiles and takes Aaron's hand and squeezes it. 

Aaron snorts. “I'm totally gonna tell her you said that.” 

“Don't you dare!” Matt looks so betrayed that Aaron can't help but laugh quietly. “So? What do you say? Wanna get married finally?”

“I guess so,” Aaron says, and he lets himself smile just a little bit. Matt beams at him, and fuck, but Aaron really can't resist Matt for shit. “Stop grinning at me like that.”

“Why?” 

“Because I'm half tempted to drag you to the bathroom and blow you.” Aaron smirks when Matt’s jaw drops.

“The fuck are we still sitting here for?” Matt asks and makes to get up from the table. Aaron just rolls his eyes. “What? I thought this was actually gonna happen.”

“I haven't even gotten my drink yet, moron. Besides, I'm not gonna fuck up the one date we've managed to get on our own since like, last summer. I'll blow you in your truck later, how's that?” Matt flushes red. “Jesus, didn't realize you were such an exhibitionist.”

“I...didn't think I was?” Matt says. He shrugs. “You never would agree to fuck me at the stadium, so I mean…”

“Again, gross,” Aaron says flatly. “I won't fuck you at this stadium either, so don't even ask.” 

“Aw, come on, babe!” Matt says, laughing. Their waitress, a pretty young girl, comes over with their drinks. She sets them on the table with a big smile. “Sorry, we don't know what we want yet. We haven't even looked.”

“That's no problem at all,” she says brightly. “Take your time and I'll be back in just a few minutes.” 

Matt and Aaron grab their menus and look at them for a moment in silence, then Matt says, “Oh yeah! Neil said they already changed up my exy trading card.” Matt grins and puts his menu down to dig his wallet out of his pocket. He digs a trading card out of it and puts it down on the table. Aaron just looks at him, unimpressed. “Aw, come on, that's cool! Sophie liked it…”

“Sophie is four and calls herself the princess of exy,” Aaron reminds him. “It's a trading card. What's so special about it?”

“Because I only just signed to the team and they already got these made?” Matt says - as if it should be obvious. “The PR lady said they were gonna send me a box of them and I had to sign them all so they can do some special giveaway thing.”

“Have fun with that hand cramp,” Aaron says dully. He turns his attention back to his menu, even though he already knows what he wants.

“Okay, grouch.” Matt tugs Aaron’s menu down. “Is this one of those dinners where I can't talk about exy and you didn't tell me?”

“No.” Aaron huffs a laugh. “That would have been funny, though.” He shakes his head and closes his menu before setting it on the side of the table. “It's just...shit’s changed. Fast. We started taking care of Sophie last December, and then we moved here, and you have your new team, and I have my new job, and now you wanna get fucking married and adopt Sophie. It's a lot.”

“I don't want to wait any longer to make you and Sophie part of my family. Legally, anyway.” Matt squeezes his hand again. “I already see Sophie as my kid. And of course Katelyn and Gregg raised her until they couldn't anymore, but...well, we're doing that now, aren't we? I don't want anyone to ever challenge that again.” He frowns. “It hurt, a lot, when that therapist looked at us when we said we were her legal guardians and then demanded to speak to Soph’s  _ real _ parents. I wanted to strangle her. But I also realized that a lot of people probably think that when they look at us. And it's not really about other people so much as it is… I don't want anyone to be able to tear us apart because of - of fucking paperwork or some shit.”

“Yeah,” Aaron mutters. “I already said yes, it's just overwhelming.” 

“We’ll keep it quiet until you want to tell people,” Matt says, offering him a small smile.

“Fuck no,” Aaron says lowly. “After the shit everyone gave me over the engagement?” He grimaces. “I won't keep it a secret from them, but that also doesn't mean we have to tell anyone until like, the moment it all goes down, right?”

“What do you mean?” Matt asks.

“We’ll do the whole courthouse wedding bullshit,” Aaron says with a shrug. “Get your mom to fly in, since I think she might actually murder me, and I'll call Nicky. They can come with us. Andrew won't give a shit. And we can fucking video it for everyone else.” 

“Good enough for me,” Matt says with a grin. “Allison and Dan might be pissed, but they'll get over it. Mom will probably want some kind of ceremony or whatever when I have more time, but she knows I'm super busy with the season.” 

“That shit can wait.” Aaron still doesn't like to have attention drawn to him. “Once we get that done, I guess I can call a lawyer to see about the adoption shit. Dunno who's gonna be any good, though.”

“We can ask around,” Matt says simply. “Maybe Dan or Allison will know someone. Dan works with at-risk kids a lot and Allison just sort of knows everyone.” Aaron nods but doesn't really look up at Matt. “Okay so let's focus on what we really can plan out right now. I know you hate shit you can't control. When do you want to do the wedding?”

The waitress comes back before Aaron has to answer, so they put in their orders. Aaron waits until she's well and truly away from the table before looking back at Matt and sighing. “Thursdays are only gym days, right?” Matt nods. “Three weeks. That gives me enough time to tell Nicky and get him here and also take the morning off work.”

“Aw, come on,” Matt teases, “I don't even get the whole day?” Aaron just stares at him blankly. “What? I wanna be able to fuck my husband. We won't get like, a real honeymoon. Not for a damn long time anyway. Just let me have the one day?”

“Fine,” Aaron grumbles. “Your mom and Nicky can watch Sophie. We’ll go to a fucking hotel or something.” 

“Awesome,” Matt says with a laugh. “I'll text mom and let her know.” 

“I'll save Nicky for tomorrow,” Aaron says with a sigh. “Don't expect me to dress up for this shit.”

“Only if you let me wear my jersey,” Matt says with a teasing grin.

“I might as well be marrying that thing too,” Aaron mutters. “Exy is your wife.”

“Aw, does that make you, like, my mistress?” Matt laughs when Aaron flips him off. “You know I'm joking. Anyway. What else is there to think about?”

“Names?” Aaron says and scrunches up his face. “I mean, trying to change either of our names is going to be a pain in the ass.”

“Could make it equally a pain in the ass for both of us and do the hyphen thing?” Matt shrugs. “I mean, people might try to assume I married  _ Andrew, _ but I think they all know better by now?” He shrugs. 

“Oh fuck,” Aaron moans, hiding his face in his hands. “Just - just stop talking.”

“Why?” Matt laughs a little.

“Because one of the nurses was reading some stupid gossip magazine yesterday and she was laughing her ass off about an article that was making all these stupid conjectures that you, Neil, and  _ my brother _ were fucking. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad those exy idiots mostly don't know I exist. But fuck, if you do anything with your name that includes ‘Minyard’ then people are going to freak.” 

Matt laughs even harder, to the point where Aaron smacks him with his cloth napkin a few times. “I'm sorry, babe, but it's funny!” Matt gasps for air and wipes tears from his eyes. “People are going to make up rumors all the damn time. You know that. I don't care what people think. If anyone asks, of course I'll set the record straight, but I don't think anyone would take that kind of rumor seriously.”

Aaron gives him a flat look. “Do you know how many fucking exy fans look at me and think I'm Andrew? They could literally be watching him on tv and see me walk in the room and flip out. People are stupid.” 

Matt shrugs. “So what do you want to do, then?”

“I don't know,” Aaron sighs. “We’ll figure it out later. Sophie can take whatever name we choose. If she wants.”

“Sounds like a plan.” 

Their food arrives a little while later and Matt talks about his new team and Aaron talks about his job at the hospital. It's...nice. They don't have to worry about Sophie overhearing anything she shouldn't and Matt can make all the dirty jokes he pleases. Aaron has a pleasant buzz by the time they finally leave the restaurant. 

Matt had parked in the very back of the lot since his truck was big and he hated for other people to park near him. (Someone had dinged his door one single time and Matt never let the issue drop.) So after they climb into the truck, separately, Aaron climbs over the center console and sits in Matt’s lap, thankful, for once, that he's small enough to fit in the space between Matt and the steering wheel. He doesn't give Matt much time to process what's happening before he’s kissing him hard and wrapping his arms around Matt’s neck.

“Forgot,” Aaron says between kissing him, “about the fucking - center console.” He wraps one hand around the base of Matt's throat and presses down lightly. “Gonna make it pretty impossible to blow you in this thing.” 

Matt’s eyes flutter and nearly roll back into his skull as Aaron squeezes his hand gently. His hands grip Aaron’s hips and ass tightly, dragging him closer. “Babe, don't fucking tease me like that,” Matt groans. 

Aaron leans closer and bites gently at Matt’s ear. “How is it a tease if I plan on finishing what I start?” He laughs when Matt attempts to grind his hips up into Aaron's. “Drive us home, babe.” He slips out of Matt’s lap after one more hard kiss and flops into his own seat. Matt just stares at him for a moment, dazed, before getting the keys in the ignition after a couple of failed attempts. 

The drive home is quick and uneventful, thankfully. As soon as the door closes behind them and they've kicked off their shoes, Matt grabs Aaron around his waist and lifts him up, pressing him against the wall. Aaron really doesn't like to be held, honestly, but he's already worked Matt up enough tonight, so he lets it slide as he wraps his legs around Matt's hips and his arms around his shoulders. 

“I feel like a horny fucking teenager,” Matt says with a laugh against Aaron’s neck as he kisses down the side. Aaron yanks hard on Matt's hair, making him groan and grind his hips into Aaron’s where he has him backed into the wall beside the door. Aaron bites down the side of Matt’s neck in retaliation for his comment. 

“I'm convinced you never stopped being a horny teenager,” Aaron says, nipping at Matt’s Adam’s apple just for the satisfaction of listening to his groan. “Seriously, your career should have been in porn rather than exy.” 

Matt laughs and squeezes Aaron tight to his chest as he turns and walks off toward their bedroom - conveniently located on the first floor in this new house. “Exy porn,” Matt says, biting at Aaron’s shoulder lightly and grinning. “Best of both worlds. Half the porno would be like, an exy match where I'd get to smack my partner around on the court, and the other half would be hot shower sex.” 

“Gross.” But Aaron laughs as he says it. “You have some really fucked up fantasies if that's what gets you going.”

“I never said it was for  _ me _ !” Matt scoffs. “As if. Besides, you've seen my porn.”

“Your straight porn,” Aaron says with a laugh as Matt lets him drop to the bed and he bounces. “Do you even watch gay porn?” 

“Yes,” Matt says with a sniff. “Just, ya know, not at home ‘cause of Soph. Don't want her finding it. I seriously do  _ not _ want to have that kind of conversation with her yet. Not for like, ten years at least.” He shudders. 

“That -” Aaron sighs. “That's totally killing the mood, babe. At least the exy porn was funny, even if it is tragically depressing.”

Matt takes off his shirt and lets it fall to the floor and gestures at himself dramatically. “This is tragically depressing?” He crosses his arms and turns his back on Aaron, sticking his nose in the air. “Fine, I see how it is.”

“Just shut the fuck up and come here and fuck me,” Aaron says, dramatic in his own right as he unbuttons his shirt and shrugs out of it. 

“No. I think I'll just go jack off in the shower or something.” Matt sniffs again. “Could call Rena. I'm sure they're done playing with Soph by now, and Rena’s been flirting with me since I switched teams.”

Aaron gets to his knees and grabs Matt’s arm to yank him back so that he's facing him again. He kisses Matt hard and grabs a fistful of his hair. When he breaks the kiss, he holds Matt in place. “I know you're only saying that to get under my skin,” Aaron mutters, his mouth just barely over Matt’s, “but I'm possessive, remember? Besides, I'm sure Andrew wouldn't mind helping me hide a body now that we have our new deal that involves Sophie.” He smirks at Matt’s wide-eyed expression and kisses him again, hard. 

Matt groans into the kiss and wraps his arms around Aaron, pulling him tight to his chest. “That...is really hot?” He sounds confused. “I shouldn't be so turned on by the thought of you killing a girl who has been flirting with me, but fuck babe.” He yanks Aaron’s undershirt off and is already working on Aaron’s belt as he goes back to kissing him.

“You need therapy,” Aaron mutters in between making out with Matt and yanking at Matt’s pants. Matt laughs and crawls onto the bed with Aaron as soon as his pants fall around his ankles. He gently pushes Aaron back so he falls on his ass, then yanks Aaron’s pants off too. 

Matt slides down Aaron’s body, leaving a trail of kisses and gentle bites as he goes. He tugs Aaron's boxer briefs off when he gets to Aaron’s hips and swallows him whole, not wasting any more of their free night. Aaron sucks in a sharp breath and tugs at Matt’s hair, making him groan around Aaron’s cock. Aaron’s hips buck up at the sensation. Matt is smirking around his mouthful of Aaron’s cock when Aaron looks down at him. 

“Shut up,” Aaron mutters. His mouth falls open in a silent moan as Matt does something clever with his tongue. “Fuck you, bastard.” 

“I didn't say anything,” Matt sing-songs as he pops off Aaron’s cock with a wet sound. He uses his long arms to reach over beside their bed and pull open the drawer. He drops a condom somewhere by the pillows, but the lube he brings closer to himself. He kisses Aaron’s thigh. “Let me hear you, babe. It's just us.”

Aaron clenches his jaw, but he nods. It's still hard for him sometimes, even so many years later. He does try, if only because Matt asks him to on occasion. So when Matt begins to suck his dick again, one hand massaging his balls and the other already prodding at his hole with a lube-covered finger, he grips Matt's hair tightly and he lets the softest of sounds spill from his throat. Matt hums around his cock again, and Aaron wills himself to be vocal, but still, all he manages is another barely-there groan. Matt doesn't seem to mind much. 

Before long, Matt has worked his way up to three fingers, and it's only by the grace of not going anywhere near Aaron's prostate that Aaron hasn't come yet. Matt isn't even sucking his dick anymore - Aaron’s too sensitive. Instead, he kneels over Aaron, kissing him some and bending down to lick and bite at his nipples every once in a while. Finally -  _ finally _ , Aaron thinks - Matt pulls his fingers away and smears them across the edge of the top sheet. 

“Ready, babe?” Matt asks with a cheeky grin.

Aaron bites at Matt's lip. “Fuck me already goddamnit.” 

“I dunno,” Matt teases. “I was thinking I'd just make you come like this. Then we could wait a bit and go for round two.”

“I will fucking kill you,” Aaron threatens lowly. “I don't know what you did all fucking day, but I worked for ten hours. So  _ fuck me _ and then let me sleep.” 

Matt laughs and kisses him again. “Okay, okay. Grouch.” He lifts Aaron and shoves him up towards the pillows before grabbing the condom and ripping it open. He rolls it on and adds more lube, then he holds his cock with one hand and grips the back of one of Aaron’s thighs with the other. He goes slowly, his eyes chasing the bitten lip between Aaron’s teeth to the half-dozen or so hickeys he's managed to suck into Aaron’s skin along his chest and stomach, down to his pink-flushed cock and where he enters him. 

“Goddamn,” Aaron mutters when Matt finally bottoms out. He rolls his hips against Matt’s. Matt kisses him gently, then begins to thrust slowly and shallowly at first. Aaron wraps the leg Matt isn't holding onto around Matt’s back, his heel digging in hard. “Faster, fuck.” 

“All right,” Matt says with a little chuckle. He arches his back a little and speeds up. Aaron's mouth falls open, and he groans softly. “Fuck, babe, I love hearing you.” Aaron instantly flushes red and Matt grins. He yanks Aaron up a little and fucks into him harder, catching him at the exact angle he's become so familiar with after so long. 

The change startles a sharper, louder moan out of Aaron, and Matt doesn't relent. He grips the headboard with one hand, bending over above Aaron as he fucks him. Aaron reaches up and grabs his hair, pulling hard, making Matt groan loudly as he tosses his head back. Aaron’s hips snap up to meet his each time he thrusts into him, and it feels amazing. Matt tucks Aaron’s leg over his arm and he bends down closer to him. Aaron moves his hand from Matt's hair to around his throat, not squeezing, just holding on. It's enough. 

He's been worked up since Aaron decided to climb into his lap in his truck back at the restaurant, and even the drive home hadn't really been enough to cool him off. He fucks into Aaron almost brutally fast and hard, not relenting for a moment. He jacks Aaron off between them and revels in the small moans and hissed curses that Aaron’s lets slip. When Aaron’s hand tightens on Matt’s throat - not much, but - it sends Matt over the edge and his hips stutter to a stop as he comes. Aaron comes between them over Matt’s hand and his own belly. 

They're both panting and a bit sweaty as they separate. Matt tugs the condom off and climbs off the bed to take it to the bathroom to flush it (can't just throw it away - not with a too-curious four-year-old in the house). He goes back to Aaron with a warm washcloth and kisses him gently and cleans him up while Aaron just rolls his eyes. Matt knows better than to take that seriously, though. When he's done, he throws the washcloth in the general direction of their laundry basket and climbs into bed beside Aaron, yanking up only the top sheet to cover them. He curls up on his side and drags Aaron to his chest.

“Think Sophie's okay?” Matt asks after a moment of them lying there. 

“Probably,” Aaron says with a shrug. “No one has called freaking out yet, anyway.”

Matt frowns. “Wait. Did you turn your ringer back on? I didn't.” 

“Fuck.” Matt rolls off the edge of the bed and grabs his pants. He pats the sides until he finds which pocket his phone is in, then he digs it out. “Motherfucker.” There are four missed calls from Neil and two from Andrew. He hits the call button beside Neil’s name and puts the phone on speaker. Aaron yawns even as he sits up and moves to the edge of the bed.

Neil answers in two rings. “Fucking finally,” he snaps. “What the fuck, Matt?”

“What's wrong?” Matt asks, ignoring Neil's attitude for the moment. 

“It's fine  _ now _ ,” Neil says, annoyed. “Sophie fell and hit her face on the coffee table.” 

“Fuck,” Aaron mutters. “We're on the way.” He crawls off the edge of the bed and moves to the dresser. 

“She's fine now,” Neil says. “She's not crying anymore. Andrew got her to stop. She's asleep with him on the couch.” 

Matt rubs his forehead. “You don't understand, Neil. When she was in the car wreck, she hit her head. Don't you remember the bruise on her face?” 

“Yeah?”

“Okay, so her eidetic memory fucks with her when she sleeps,” Aaron says, walking over to Matt with a clean undershirt and pair of boxers. Matt puts the phone on the bedside table. “She got a little bump on her head right when we first moved here. Nothing bad at all. She still had nightmares for a week. Sometimes they weren't even nightmares, but night terrors.” 

“She'll start screaming like someone's killing her,” Matt says as he tugs his shirt on. “But she isn't really awake. We just have to wait it out and try to talk her through it if we can. I usually just hold her and rock, but she fights sometimes because she's so afraid. When she wakes up, she can't remember the night terrors.”

“Are you two really up for trying to handle a screaming four-year-old at two am?” Aaron asks loudly from where he is at the closet door. He throws a pair of jeans at Matt and he catches them. Aaron steps into his own jeans as he walks closer. “I know how Andrew wakes up, and I really don't need him swinging in Sophie's general direction.”

“All right,” Neil says simply. He sighs a little. “Why the fuck didn't you answer the phone?”

“We had them on silent while we were eating dinner,” Matt answers. “We just forgot to turn the sound back on. I'm sorry.” 

“Yeah, well, sorry your kid interrupted your sex night.” Neil snorts. “I'll see you in a little bit.” He hangs up before either of them can respond. Matt laughs a little.

“Come on,” Aaron says, heading out in just a black undershirt and his jeans. Matt follows and they slip on shoes by the door before climbing into Matt’s truck yet again. Aaron yawns again before they even get out of the neighborhood.

“Sleep, babe,” Matt says softly. “It's a long drive.” Aaron nods and reclines his seat. He finds one of Matt's hoodies in the backseat and balls it up for a pillow. Matt clicks on the radio on low, and Aaron is out like a light in a matter of minutes. 

Matt doesn't wake Aaron when he pulls up at Andrew and Neil’s apartment, but Aaron wakes anyway. He rubs at his face and rights his seat before climbing out of the truck. Matt does as well and they walk together through the parking garage and into the building itself. At Andrew’s and Neil’s door, Matt knocks. Aaron frowns up at Matt. They can hear Sophie screaming.

Neil opens the door a moment later and the sound gets so much louder. Aaron darts in and around Neil. Andrew is on the other side of the apartment, his arms crossed over his chest. Sophie is on the couch, curled in on herself and screaming her head off. Aaron scoops her up and holds her to his chest and instantly begins to talk to her, low and calm. The screams die down after a couple of minutes and cease altogether in less than ten. Once Sophie is well and truly asleep once more, Matt takes her. 

“That's a night terror,” Aaron says to Neil. “You just have to try to distract her. I tell her stories. Matt talks about exy. Just about anything works.” Neil nods. Aaron looks at his brother. “Are you okay?”

Andrew doesn't immediately answer. His jaw works for a moment. “I will be.”

“Do you need anything from us?” Aaron asks. Andrew shakes his head. “Okay. We’ll leave and give you your space back.” 

“I'm sorry, guys,” Matt mutters. “We’re doing the best we can, ya know?”

“Yeah,” Neil mutters. “Sorry your night got cut short.”

“Don't worry about it,” Matt says with a smile. “All part of having a kid.” He shrugs and turns to follow Aaron out the door. Sophie twists a little in his arms, so he rubs her back and hums a couple of songs to her as they walk back to the truck. Aaron helps Matt get Sophie into her seat and buckled up. Matt tucks her purple jellyfish blanket around her and closes the door. 

“Wait!” Neil comes jogging out to them. Aaron and Matt both pause by Sophie's door as they look at him. “Here.” He holds out both of Sophie's bags and Matt takes them and puts them in the bed of the truck. 

“Thanks,” Aaron says. He yawns. “Tell Andrew I'm sorry, would you?”

Neil nods. “He's sorry, too. He...can't really…”

“I know,” Aaron says. “Don't worry about it. It's not a problem. I should have mentioned it. It's my fault.” Neil nods, which sort of pisses Aaron off, but he doesn't say anything. 

“By the way, your nanny, Zara? She checks out. My uncle looked into her.” Aaron nods again. “Bye.” He turns and leaves as Matt says his goodbye. 

“Let's go home,” Matt says softly, wrapping an arm around Aaron and dropping a kiss on the top of his head. Aaron walks to the other side of the truck and climbs in. He falls asleep again once they are back on the road.

At home, they get Sophie upstairs and in her bed without waking her. Andrew and Neil had obviously managed to get her bathed and changed into her pajamas at some point. Her little face is already starting to bruise up around her cheek. Aaron frowns at the mark. It's in almost the exact same spot as when she'd been in the wreck. He kisses her forehead and leaves her door open when he leaves her room. 

Downstairs, he and Matt change into shorts but leave their shirts off. They crawl into bed together and curl up beside each other. “Zara starts Monday, right?” Matt asks. Aaron nods. “Good. I'm glad you'll have some help with Sophie while I'm not here. I have a Court practice over the weekend…”

“I know,” Aaron sighs. He presses a kiss to Matt's chest. “If I didn't know what a huge deal it was for you to be Court, I'd say fuck it and not let you go.”

“I don't have to, babe,” Matt says gently. “There is always a way out of a contract.”

“Fuck no.” Aaron snorts. “We’ll figure it out together. I'm not letting you give up this chance. It's too good.” Matt kisses him deeply. “Now shut up and let me sleep. I'm sure Sophie will wake up again at some point.”

“Then I'll take care of her,” Matt says. “I have a free day tomorrow, so you can sleep in and everything.” 

Aaron smirks. “I’ll take you up on that.” 

“Goodnight babe,” Matt says with a grin. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Aaron says, and yawns. “Doofus.”

“Hey!” Matt pokes him in the side. 

Aaron laughs. “You're the one who just sacrificed his entire morning to Sophie's schedule.”

“Because you deserve some rest too,” Matt says gently. “You work really hard. I do notice, ya know.”

“I know.” Aaron kisses his shoulder and burrows into his pillows. “Goodnight, babe.” Matt leans over and kisses Aaron's forehead. They sleep, and the night remains quiet. 


End file.
